
CMS says GEMS cannot cut 25% reserve requirement
The comment comes amid a growing standoff between organised labour and GEMS after the scheme announced a 9.8% contribution increase for 2026.

The comment comes amid a growing standoff between organised labour and GEMS after the scheme announced a 9.8% contribution increase for 2026.

The Board of Healthcare Funders and Discovery Health say the panel’s final report on FWA investigations rests on flawed methodology and the misinterpretation of data.

Launched in 2019, the inquiry sought to investigate allegations of racial profiling by medical schemes. As 2024 draws to a close, the CMS is still battling objections and technical reviews to finalise the report.

In 2022, the industry saw a net income of R2.57 billion – down from R12.18bn in 2021 – and faced an operating deficit of R6.155bn, the largest in 23 years.